Problems after hard crash

[Steven J. Norton]

I hope some of you folks out there have some ideas about this. The main
problem that I am having is that a number of programs that used to run under
KDE are now refusing to. Specifically, X-based configuration programs that
ask for the root password before continuing do not launch from within KDE as
they used to (though I can get them to run if I start them from the command
line as root). Instead, they begin to start (I see the hourglass turning
over), but then nothing happens.

The first symptom I noticed was that I was not able to use my printer from
within KDE, and the print manager said it was unable to talk to the CUPS
server. (I confirmed that the CUPS server is up and running.)

The only things that I'm aware of which might have caused any change is that
A) I installed the BRU backup package (from the Tolis Group) and, more
likely,
B) The first time I ran the X-based interface to BRU, the system locked up
completely when I tried to change one of the configuration options. I ended
up having to reboot (command-control-power), and from there successfully ran
a tape backup.

I have a beige PowerMac G3 desktop, running YDL 3.01, and I've tried to keep
everything up to date. I haven't found anything useful in the logs (though
I'm no expert), and I missed the opportunity to check the filesystems that
was briefly presented to me when I rebooted the system. (By the time I read
it, the time had run out.)

The printer problem is the real kicker, though the other issues are pretty
annoying. Help! Thanks in advance,

Steve Norton